Garlic Roast Chicken
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 7, 2011
Time
2 hours, plus 20 minutes resting
Yield
Serves 3 to 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
You will need one 8-ounce jar of peeled garlic cloves or 3 to 4 whole heads of garlic (see related content for tips on peeling large amounts of garlic cloves).
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine garlic and oil in small saucepan. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is softened and straw-colored, 10 to 15 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon oil and transfer remaining garlic mixture to food processor; puree until smooth. Let cool.
- Pat chicken dry inside and out with paper towels. Combine 1/4 cup garlic puree, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Tuck wings behind back, then, following photos 1 and 2 at left, spread garlic mixture under skin of chicken and rub reserved oil over outside of chicken. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Season chicken with salt and pepper and arrange, breast-side down, on V-rack set inside roasting pan. Roast until just golden, about 35 minutes.
- Remove chicken from oven and, using wad of paper towels, flip chicken breast-side up. Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees. Whisk broth, wine, ½ cup water, and remaining garlic puree in measuring cup, then pour into roasting pan. Return chicken to oven and roast until thigh meat registers 170 to 175 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, transfer pan juices and any accumulated chicken juices to saucepan; skim fat. Whisk remaining water and cornstarch in small bowl, then add to saucepan. Simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in butter, then strain into serving bowl. Stir in tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Carve chicken and serve, passing sauce at table.
Time
2 hours, plus 20 minutes restingYield
Serves 3 to 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Flavoring a roast chicken with garlic sounds easy, but while testing existing garlic roast chicken recipes, we learned that the garlic flavor was either nonexistent or so strong the birds were inedible. We wanted the sweet, nutty garlic flavor to be strong but not overpowering, with a pan sauce that would enhance the garlic in the chicken. For the best garlic flavor, we pureed cooked garlic into a smooth paste, which we slid underneath the skin of the breast, thighs, and legs. We also added more garlic puree, chicken stock, and white wine to the cooking pan with the chicken. This combination cooked down in the oven and formed the foundation of a simple pan sauce. For cooks who can’t imagine working with so much fresh garlic—this recipe calls for 50 cloves—we found that prepeeled garlic cloves worked just fine in our Garlic Roast Chicken recipe.
Before You Begin
You will need one 8-ounce jar of peeled garlic cloves or 3 to 4 whole heads of garlic (see related content for tips on peeling large amounts of garlic cloves).
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine garlic and oil in small saucepan. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is softened and straw-colored, 10 to 15 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon oil and transfer remaining garlic mixture to food processor; puree until smooth. Let cool.
- Pat chicken dry inside and out with paper towels. Combine 1/4 cup garlic puree, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Tuck wings behind back, then, following photos 1 and 2 at left, spread garlic mixture under skin of chicken and rub reserved oil over outside of chicken. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Season chicken with salt and pepper and arrange, breast-side down, on V-rack set inside roasting pan. Roast until just golden, about 35 minutes.
- Remove chicken from oven and, using wad of paper towels, flip chicken breast-side up. Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees. Whisk broth, wine, ½ cup water, and remaining garlic puree in measuring cup, then pour into roasting pan. Return chicken to oven and roast until thigh meat registers 170 to 175 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, transfer pan juices and any accumulated chicken juices to saucepan; skim fat. Whisk remaining water and cornstarch in small bowl, then add to saucepan. Simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in butter, then strain into serving bowl. Stir in tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Carve chicken and serve, passing sauce at table.
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